Sleeping Beauties Read Free

pulled Chloe away from Laurie and Nicola, mov ing them through the throng of people to the dj booth. She tried to pull away, scared of his intentions. “What unfinished business?”
    “I’ll bet that you never got a chance to say a proper go odbye so now’s your chance and you’re going to take it.” Seth moved her in front of him as they approached the booth, lightly pushing her shoulders to keep her moving. Chloe’s heart thumped and she was sure he could hear it. Her breathing became shallow and she found it difficult to swallow. A last goodbye to Noah, the guy who once had heart completely? She silently thanked God for this chance.
    “I’ll stay here while you two talk,” Seth said as t hey stood right outside of the booth. “You won’t have a lot of time because we need to find the book and I need to deal with Alexander.”
    Chloe nodded, placing one hand on the do orknob. Butterflies dipped and circled in her belly but she tamped down her fear. “I’ll make this quick.” She opened the door to the booth and stepped inside, closing it behind her.
    Noah had big brown eyes that could melt a girl’s heart, short dark thick hair, and fair skin and he looked exactly the same now. Chloe watched him as he sorted through one of his plastic crates that held his precious vinyl records. She tried to imagine him listening to an iPod and felt an overwhelming sadness. He looked up as if he could sense her standing there and gave her a happy grin.
    “Hey, Chloe.”
    She willed her feet to move and came to stand next to him seated in his chair. Somewhere in her heart, she found a genuine smile. “Hey.”
    “I thought you were going to be out cruising the boulevard with the rest of the Trifecta tonight.” He stood and gave her a soft kiss. She kissed him back and died a little inside. “Thanks for coming to see your hardworking man.”
    “You know I can’t stay away from you, Noah.”
    He sat down and grabbed another vinyl record, effortlessly switching one for the other on the turntable. He then turned his attention back to her. “Ah, you’re beautiful tonight.”
    Chloe took one of his hands, stroking it against her cheek. “Beautiful for you.”
    “Marry me in ten years?”
    “You know it,” Chloe responded, easily slipping back into t heir old banter. “I can’t stay but…I just needed to see you.”
    “I’m glad that you did. Can’t hang out tonight because I’m meeting with another club owner after my shift here ends to negotiate taking on another gig with more hours.” He smiled disarmingly. “I have somewhere else to be, baby. Sorry”
    Tears burned in her eyes as she nodded. “You sure do,” she said, her voice choked.
    Strangely, despite the sadness, she felt done here in this moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, putting all of her love into it. “Bye, Noah,” she whispered into his ear. “I will always love you.”
    “Bye, baby,” Noah said cheerfully, already turning his attent ion back to the plastic crate, in search of another record. “I’ll page you tomorrow. Love you.”
    Chloe drank him in with one last glance before sliding out of the booth. Seth was waiting outside, looking at her expectantly and she gave him a teary smile. “I’m good.”
    “I’m glad.” Seth  unexpectedly reached out and caught a falling tear from her cheek, cupping her face in his big hand for a brief moment. “I’m fairly sure that your mind didn’t dream him up so you had a real goodbye. When he wakes up again in his afterlife, he won’t remember most of this. What he does remember, he’ll think was a dream.”
    Chloe’s face tingled from the warmth of his hand. ‘Y ou’re unbelievably comforting, Seth. Thank you.”   
    “That’s what hybrid angels do. We comfort humankind w ho are suffering.” Seth turned around, searching the crowd for Laurie and Nicola. He spotted them at the bar and moved Chloe in their direction. “We need to get our hands on